Electromechanical lock for cabinets, showcases and drawers

Abstract

A lock that is particularly suitable for locking cabinets, showcases and drawers includes a bolt and a housing having an opening to receive the bolt and having arranged therein a locking member for locking the bolt. The bolt comprises an bolt body, a chamfered head end and a recess part on the elongated bolt body behind the chamfered head end. The locking member is rotatably provided inside the housing and arranged to rotate between a first orientation to lock the bolt and a second orientation different from the first orientation to release the lock. The locking member comprises a bended first end that fits behind the recess part of the bolt when the locking member is rotated to the first orientation. A coil can be used to, when provided with a current, generate a magnetic force to tilt the locking member to the second orientation.

1 . A lock ( 100 ) comprising a bolt ( 1 ) and a housing ( 2 ) having an opening ( 21 ) to receive the bolt ( 1 ) and having arranged therein a locking member ( 22 ) for locking the bolt ( 1 ), wherein
 the bolt comprises an elongated bolt body ( 11 ), a chamfered head end ( 12 ) and a recess part ( 13 ) in the elongated bolt body ( 11 ) behind the chamfered head end ( 12 ),   the locking member ( 22 ) is rotatably provided inside the housing ( 2 ) and arranged to rotate between a first orientation for locking the bolt ( 1 ) in the housing ( 2 ) and a second orientation different from the first orientation for releasing the bolt ( 1 ) from the housing ( 2 ), and   the locking member ( 22 ) comprises a bended first end ( 23 ) that fits in the recess part ( 13 ) of the bolt ( 1 ) when the bolt ( 1 ) is inserted into the opening ( 21 ) of the housing ( 2 ) and the locking member ( 22 ) is rotated to the first orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The lock ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing ( 2 ) further comprises a spring ( 24 ) applying a spring force to the locking member ( 22 ) to force the locking member ( 22 ) to the first orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The lock ( 100 ) according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the housing ( 2 ) further comprises a coil ( 25 ) that, when being provided with a current, generates a magnetic force to a second end ( 26 ) of the locking member ( 22 ) different from the first end ( 23 ) wherein the magnetic force exceeds the spring force resulting in the locking member ( 22 ) to be rotated to the second orientation and the bolt ( 1 ) to be removable from the housing ( 2 ). 
     
     
         4 . The lock ( 100 ) according to any one of the  claims 1 - 3 , wherein the locking member ( 22 ) is further bended at an inflection point ( 27 ) enabling the rotation of the locking member ( 22 ). 
     
     
         5 . The lock ( 100 ) according to any one of the  claims 1 - 4  wherein the housing ( 2 ) comprises a pivot ( 40 ) enabling the rotation of the locking member ( 22 ). 
     
     
         6 . The lock ( 100 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing ( 2 ) further comprises a switch ( 28 ), wherein the switch ( 28 ) is in a first state when the bolt ( 1 ) is inserted in the housing ( 2 ) such that the bolt ( 1 ) is lockable by the locking member ( 22 ), and wherein the switch ( 28 ) is in a second state when the bolt ( 1 ) is unlocked and at least partially removed from the housing ( 2 ). 
     
     
         7 . The lock ( 100 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bolt ( 1 ) comprises a base ( 14 ) for attaching the bolt ( 1 ) to a movable part of a cabinet, a showcase or a drawer, and wherein the housing ( 2 ) comprises one or more screw holes ( 29 ) for attaching the housing ( 2 ) to a fixed part of the cabinet, the showcase or the drawer. 
     
     
         8 . The lock ( 100 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing ( 2 ) is a rectangular three-dimensional housing comprising two opposite sides having an area smaller than the four other sides, and wherein the opening ( 21 ) is in the center of one of the two smaller sides. 
     
     
         9 . The lock ( 100 ) according to  claim 2  and  claim 8 , wherein the housing ( 2 ) further comprises a first recess at a first of the four other sides for fitting the locking member ( 22 ) and the spring ( 24 ), wherein the first of the four other sides is coverable by a first cover to secure the locking member ( 22 ) and the spring ( 24 ) inside the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The lock ( 100 ) according to  claim 3  and  claim 9 , wherein the housing ( 2 ) further comprises a second recess at a second of the four other sides opposite of the first of the four other sides for fitting the coil ( 25 ), wherein the second of the four other sides is coverable by a second cover to secure the coil ( 25 ) inside the housing ( 2 ). 
     
     
         11 . The lock ( 100 ) according to  claim 6  and  claim 10 , wherein the housing ( 2 ) further comprises a third recess at the second of the four other sides for fitting the switch ( 28 ), and wherein the second of the four other sides is coverable by the second cover to further secure the switch ( 28 ) inside the housing ( 2 ). 
     
     
         12 . The lock ( 100 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing ( 2 ) further comprises an electronic circuit for conditionally providing the current to the coil ( 25 ), wherein the electronic circuit comprises a processor programmable to detect a data pattern in a data signal and to enable the current to the coil ( 25 ) if the data pattern is detected. 
     
     
         13 . A security system comprising:
 one or more locks ( 100 ) according to any one of the  claims 1 - 12 , each lock ( 100 ) comprising a coil ( 25 ) which, when being provided with a current, generates a magnetic force to a second end ( 26 ) of a locking member ( 22 ) different from a first end ( 23 ) resulting in the locking member ( 22 ) to be rotated to a second orientation and a bolt ( 1 ) to be removable from a housing ( 2 );   a power supply ( 3 ) configured to provide a current to the one or more locks ( 100 ) for activating the coil ( 25 );   an unlocking switch ( 4 ) coupled between the power supply ( 3 ) and the one or more locks ( 100 ); and   an unlocking device ( 5 ) configured to detect an authorized user causing the unlocking switch ( 4 ) to providing the current to the one or more locks ( 100 ) from the power supply ( 3 ) to thereby unlock the one or more locks ( 100 ).   
     
     
         14 . The security system according to  claim 13 , wherein the unlocking device ( 5 ) is one of a tag reader for detecting an authorized tag, a fingerprint reader for detecting an authorized fingerprint, or a code reader for detecting an authorized code entered by a user. 
     
     
         15 . The security system according to  claim 13  or  claim 14 , wherein the unlocking switch ( 4 ) is configured to detect a removal of the bolt ( 1 ) from the housing ( 2 ) of a first lock and upon detection of the removal cutting the current to the one or more locks other than the first lock. 
     
     
         16 . The security system according to any one of the  claims 13 - 15 , wherein the unlocking switch ( 4 ) is configured to cut the current to the one or more locks ( 100 ) after a predefined time period to lock the one or more locks ( 100 ) after unlocking.